Chains for Downspouts

I've seen them in catalogs. I think it's just a whimsical alternative to downspouts. They won't work as well as downspouts in high winds, but they also aren't as obvious from a short distance, if you don't happen to like the look of downspouts.
I don't

Chains for Downspouts

I've seen them in catalogs etc., but not in person.
I guess I'm just blond and don't understand, but could someone explain the purpose to me.
Downspouts will direct the water away from your home. If you have a rain barrel or something I guess chains might look better, otherwise the chains will just dump it straight down on the ground next to your foundation.
What is the point?

Chains for Downspouts

I saw some frequently on a clinic in Montana. In an ordinary rain, they were really wonderful. The water flowed and gently dripped in an ever changing pattern... it was a real eye grabber in a nice way.

HOWEVER.... they were on some large overhangs with a nice grade away from the founation. As another poster said, in windy rain, there's no telling where the water gets whipped off the chains on its way to the ground. If the wind is at the building, then the splashzone was much closer to the foundation. I might think about them on the corner of a porch overhang (where I might get to enjoy watching them) but I wouldn't want them close to my basement wall unless there was a nice grade with a bit of clay in the soil or something similar